Photo By Capt. Robert Wooldridge | In a combined effort, units from the 103rd and 310th ESC work together to move to the...... read more read more
Of the units attending the JRTC 25-10 cycle, the 497th CSSB, 751st QM CO, 454th TC CO, and the 410th SC are participating in the exercise from 5 August through 6 September. One of only a few Combat Training Centers (CTC), JRTC aims to test a unit's ability to operate under tough, realistic, and stressful conditions. Located in West Louisiana, heat, humidity, and wildlife also factor into these conditions. Days before entering the infamous "Box," we sat down to hear about the experience Soldiers have had thus far at their annual training. Read about their experience below:
Staff Sgt. Trisha Shay — 454 TC CO Supply Sergeant
"We just got a new commander and first sergeant. Our full-time staff is basically all new, so I think this (JRTC) is what we needed. I think it's just looking forward to finding that camaraderie and just building together as a team."
Your unit is getting ready to enter "the Box." What has been the toughest thing for you so far? What issues do you foresee heading into the field?
Spc. Ashton Strickler — 454th TC 88M
"I think overcoming the heat, a lot of us aren't quite acclimated to the humidity and the heat down here. I think the biggest issue, especially with our job and our MOS being transportation, is if any of our vehicles go down. We all know why we're here., I know it's something we'll all look back on a year from now like, Yeah, that was good."
1st Lt. Alexis Trzebuckoski —454th TC Commander
"One of the highlights, I would say, for training exercises like this, it's hard, no doubt, but I think it shows you the strengths in your leaders that you're not able to see on a regular battle assembly."
"This training is allowing our leaders to get prepared and ready and to have our group come together as a cohesive unit prior to our mobilization."
"So what we've done so far, I'm excited to see what we can do once we go into the box."
Spc. Samantha Flanigan, a 35F intelligence analyst for the 497th CSSB, shared her positive experience in the exercise as one that allows her to perform her MOS duties:
"As soon as we hit the ground here, it was a perfect opportunity for me to see what it's like in a real-world environment versus a training environment or a traditional classroom environment. And so I've been able to meet and work with people I never would have worked with before."
"So, basically, my job is to collect, basically, enemy intelligence, which is, weapons, where they are, what they're doing, how they are doing it, and how does that affect our mission as a unit and our companies and partners."
"I'm creating what's called overlays where you're using analysis and analytical skills to go over the map, find key points of terrain, and points where the enemy would find interest that would impact our mission."
"I'm getting reports from all different avenues and combining that into a what's called an intelligence report, which is my way of telling our commander this is what the enemy is doing and this is how, so they can make a decision on how to work around that."
"I think that's the cool part about being an intelligence analyst: you're seeing a side of the picture that no one else is seeing. There's something fun to that where you're part of this, like, secrecy and you're evolving your intelligence reports and then providing that to someone who may not have thought of it that way."
Joking, so I probably wouldn't want to play Clue with you?
"Ha ha, no"
| Date Taken: | 08.20.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 08.20.2025 11:38 |
| Story ID: | 546041 |
| Location: | US |
| Hometown: | INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, US |
| Web Views: | 204 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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